Bus maker Volvo sees strong, new growth opportunities emerging from the changing aspiration levels of people in smaller cities and the Centre’s emphasis on building smart cities.
The demand for its buses, Volvo Buses India Managing Director V. R. V. Sriprasad said, was no longer restricted to major cities as government transport undertakings in smaller cities were also placing orders. Solapur and Puducherry have taken delivery of Volvo buses this year and many other smaller cities have evinced interest.
Along with senior executives of the company, he was briefing presspersons visiting the Volvo plant in Hoskote, near here, on Wednesday. People increasingly, they said, were not averse to spending more for improved comforts and getting value for money.
For the transport corporations, Volvo buses offered better realisation besides the benefits associated with increased use of public transportation. Bangalore, he said, had the largest fleet of Volvo among the 15 cities that have deployed the vehicle.
Volvo, which recently sold its 5,000 bus (including to private operators) in the country, is “extremely happy about the government speaking about [creating] smart cities. It is a phenomenal opportunity… ready to share our knowledge, capacity and talking to the government,” he said. The company, which completed an expansion project over the last two years, “need not invest anything new. We are future ready,” Mr. Sriprasad said, adding a lot of prototype building work was also undertaken at the project.
On accidents involving Volvo buses impacting the sales, he said: “The buses we make are safe.” A pointer to this was the customers placing repeat orders with the company.
